Welcome to Part 3 of our 4-part ReCover 3 Bracket Breakdown series. In this post, we’re diving into the East Region, which includes a powerhouse No. 1 seed, upset-hungry mid-majors, and several toss-up second-round matchups.
As always, we’re using our proven 3-step model: Data-driven research 📊, trends analysis 📈, and AI insights 🤖.
We’ve also curated picks from top analysts and expert brackets across the country — filtering out the noise to bring you the most confident game-by-game breakdowns. Let’s see how the East plays out.
1st Round
(1) Duke over (16) American / Mount St. Mary’s — Duke’s talent advantage is overwhelming here. The No. 1 seed cruises in the opener with little resistance.
(8) Mississippi State over (9) Baylor — This one could go either way, but Mississippi State’s gritty defense and rebounding made the difference. Baylor’s guard play was inconsistent all season.
(5) Oregon over (12) Liberty — Liberty’s offense was dangerous, but Oregon’s length and experience helped them control pace and pull away late.
(4) Arizona over (13) Akron — Arizona’s offense was too dynamic. Akron couldn’t keep up with Arizona’s tempo or contain their backcourt in transition.
(11) VCU over (6) BYU — We rolled with the upset here. VCU’s defensive pressure and physicality disrupted BYU’s shooting rhythm and created extra possessions.
(3) Wisconsin over (14) Montana — Montana hung around early, but Wisconsin’s discipline and shot-making took over in the second half. Veteran leadership carried them through.
(7) Saint Mary’s over (10) Vanderbilt — Saint Mary’s executed well in the halfcourt and limited turnovers, which was key against Vandy’s pressure. Their experience showed down the stretch.
(2) Alabama over (15) Robert Morris — No drama here. Alabama’s athleticism and shooting overwhelmed Robert Morris from the tip.
2nd Round
(1) Duke over (8) Mississippi State — Duke faced some resistance early, but their offensive firepower proved too much for MSU to handle. Big second-half run sealed it.
(4) Arizona over (5) Oregon — Familiar foes, but Arizona’s scoring versatility gave them the edge. Oregon couldn’t string together stops late.
(3) Wisconsin over (11) VCU — VCU’s upset run ended here. Wisconsin stayed composed, punished mismatches inside, and controlled tempo the entire game.
(2) Alabama over (7) Saint Mary’s — Alabama’s pace forced Saint Mary’s out of their comfort zone. A barrage of threes and transition buckets powered the Tide forward.
Sweet 16
(1) Duke over (4) Arizona — This one had fireworks, but Duke’s late-game execution was better. They made big shots and closed the game on a run to survive a tough Arizona squad.
(2) Alabama over (3) Wisconsin — Alabama’s explosiveness exposed Wisconsin’s lack of foot speed. They pushed pace and hit key shots to pull away late.
Elite 8
(1) Duke over (2) Alabama — Alabama made them work, but Duke’s halfcourt defense and rebounding sealed the deal. Big performances from Duke’s stars carried them to the Final Four.
Final Four Pick: Duke
Duke advances to the Final Four out of the East Region, showing why they earned the No. 1 seed — but the road doesn’t stop there. We have Duke reaching the National Championship, where they’ll face Florida… and fall just short.
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📍 Missed the other region breakdowns? We got you covered!
➡️ South Region
➡️ West Region
➡️ East Region
➡️ Midwest Region
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